Several studies have been conducted in regards to infertility. The research reflects risk factor, education, psychological barriers, culture, and access to services, socioeconomic status and new technology. Very little of this literature reflects how race, culture, ethnicity and socioeconomic status influence how men and women deal with infertility and seek out services. In addition, Jenkins (2005) pointed out that research within underserved populations such as African Americans, Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans in the United States is limited and more should be conducted. The author discusses how race, culture, ethnicity and SES influence how men and women deal with cancer-related infertility and whether or not they seek out infertility
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The experience of infertility deprives a couple of the ability to fulfill these desires. Couples who endure the experience of infertility have gone through an upheaval in terms of their identity (Apfel & Keylor). It is a blow to the cohesion of the self. Infertility is experienced as a narcissistic injury creating disruption in the self-structure (Leon, 2010). Couples yearn to feel whole again and to repair the narcissistic wound that has been caused by infertility. Kohut proposed that creation of a healthy self develops from self-object functions that provide a sense of cohesion. The development of the self is the result of “the empathic milieu that parents create to sustain the child during development” (Palombo et al., 2009, p.263). Parents or caregivers provide the empathic self-object functions to the child by meeting his/her psychological needs. As human beings, we all need affirmation, belonging and protection to make us feel cohesive. These feelings sustain us during our development and become our own through transmuting internalization (Elson, …show more content…
1). Caregivers’ function as self-objects and their ability to serve in this role is integral to development. It is the responsibility of the caregiver to be empathic to the needs of the child. Cohesiveness grows more secure and less dependent in view of self-objects. Self-object needs “mature from needing a powerful all-protective parent to a parent who has admirable qualities that become the source for the formation of ideals” (p. 5). Kohut (as cited in Fosshage, 1998) later identified twinship, an experience of essential likeness, as a third self-object need. Individuals need to feel a part of family, culture, groups, community, etc. as these twinship experiences support a vital sense of self. When parents are able to connect with families and friends via a motherhood constellation or other shared understandings, these are twinship experiences. Kohut (as cited in Fosshage, 1998) indicated, “these self-object needs and the availability of self-object responsiveness within relationships are crucially important throughout our lifetime for developing and regulating a positive cohesive sense of self” (p. 6). The sense that self (and other) has developed an internal personal world knowledge and experience can be used to communicate and share a narrative. When something interferes with the creation
(p. 341)
The experience of infertility deprives a couple of the ability to fulfill these desires. Couples who endure the experience of infertility have gone through an upheaval in terms of their identity (Apfel & Keylor). It is a blow to the cohesion of the self. Infertility is experienced as a narcissistic injury creating disruption in the self-structure (Leon, 2010). Couples yearn to feel whole again and to repair the narcissistic wound that has been caused by infertility. Kohut proposed that creation of a healthy self develops from self-object functions that provide a sense of cohesion. The development of the self is the result of “the empathic milieu that parents create to sustain the child during development” (Palombo et al., 2009, p.263). Parents or caregivers provide the empathic self-object functions to the child by meeting his/her psychological needs. As human beings, we all need affirmation, belonging and protection to make us feel cohesive. These feelings sustain us during our development and become our own through transmuting internalization (Elson, …show more content…
1). Caregivers’ function as self-objects and their ability to serve in this role is integral to development. It is the responsibility of the caregiver to be empathic to the needs of the child. Cohesiveness grows more secure and less dependent in view of self-objects. Self-object needs “mature from needing a powerful all-protective parent to a parent who has admirable qualities that become the source for the formation of ideals” (p. 5). Kohut (as cited in Fosshage, 1998) later identified twinship, an experience of essential likeness, as a third self-object need. Individuals need to feel a part of family, culture, groups, community, etc. as these twinship experiences support a vital sense of self. When parents are able to connect with families and friends via a motherhood constellation or other shared understandings, these are twinship experiences. Kohut (as cited in Fosshage, 1998) indicated, “these self-object needs and the availability of self-object responsiveness within relationships are crucially important throughout our lifetime for developing and regulating a positive cohesive sense of self” (p. 6). The sense that self (and other) has developed an internal personal world knowledge and experience can be used to communicate and share a narrative. When something interferes with the creation